Food Blog

Man in straw hat picks crops in a field

The Food Blog covers our latest research and extension work to advance and optimize the production and vitality of California's abundant agricultural commodities.

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Farmers markets are essential community food sources and important for promoting social connection, which are especially needed now in small towns and counties.
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Supporting farmers markets in the time of COVID-19

May 12th, 2020
When California issued a statewide stay-at-home order to slow the spread of COVID-19 earlier this spring, a handful of essential services were exempted from the order. Along with grocery stores and agricultural operations, farmers markets were included as essential sources of food.
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A milk plant that packages milk in small cartons for schools will face challenges to quickly redesign its operations to supply gallon and half-gallon jugs for retail stores while schools are closed.
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Why are farmers destroying crops while store shelves are empty?

April 22nd, 2020
By Pamela S Kan-Rice
Empty grocery store shelves are troubling enough to California consumers who are accustomed to abundant supplies. To hear about farmers dumping milk, crushing eggs and plowing under crops when demand for food is strong just doesn't make sense to most consumers.
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